Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93% (7.9/10) Box Office: With a hefty $108 million budget, The Martian has been one of October's few big successes amid a sea of bombs, raking in $428.4 million to date, with many suspecting that NASA's announcement of water being discovered on Mars a few days before release may have boosted sales. Either way, it's a huge success and this certainly gives it more traction going into the awards race. The Verdict: Ridley Scott is back on top form with one of his best ever films, a hilarious, superbly shot, brilliantly-acted sci-fi dram that represents a smart blend of hard-sci-fi and populist thrills. Very much Cast Away In Space, The Martian makes the most of Matt Damon's charming everyman presence given how much of the movie he spends on his own, surrounded by an environment engineered by the film's fantastic tech wizards and lensed stunningly by Dariusz Wolski. The supporting cast add a lot to the movie, especially Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jessica Chastain, helping add gravitas and tension to a near-instantly involving scenario which puts Scott back on the top of his game after a string of duds and disappointments.
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